Students
Fluid Power Scholars Program
Program Overview
The Fluid Power Scholars Program is a collaborative effort between the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP) and companies in the fluid power industry who are corporate members of the CCEFP. This highly selective summer program identifies and connects the very best undergraduate engineering students across the United States to the fluid power industry with the purpose of training the next-generation of fluid power leaders.
This is a highly competitive program, open to undergraduates who have successfully completed at least two years in an accredited engineering program in the United States. The Scholars program begins with an intensive three-day instructional program in fluid power, taught at the Fluid Power Institute at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE), and follows with internships in the fluid power industry. Up to ten undergraduate students will be selected as Fluid Power Scholars by a committee of faculty and industry representatives. In addition to their paid internships, scholars will receive stipends for travel and living expenses associated with their work at MSOE.
See the list of available 2010 Internship positions.
Company Hosts
As a host company in the Fluid Power Scholars program, a CCEFP member companyagrees to take on one Fluid Power Scholar, providing an engineering-related internship for the student in one of its facilities for 9-10 weeks during the summer of 2010. In addition, the host company will pay travel and living expenses associated with the three-day fluid power instructional program at MSOE. (The CCEFP will cover the instructional costs at MSOE). Sponsoring companies will prepare a description of their internship opportunities by completing the form located here.
Student Scholars
An engineering student who has completed at least two years in an accredited engineering school in the United States and who is eligible to work in the U.S. is invited to apply as a Fluid Power Scholar. Students accepted as a Fluid Power Scholar for the summer of 2010 agree to spend three days in early June at MSOE participating in an intensive short course on fluid power. The short-course will cover a range of topics such as identifying features of hydraulic and pneumatic systems; applying industry standards to hydraulic and schematic systems; analyzing circuits from a schematic drawing; understanding the operation and applications of valves, cylinders, pumps, and motors; identifying chemical and physical properties of fluids, etc. This course will also include work in a component and hydraulic systems laboratory. Following this course, scholars agree to be placed at any of the host companies for a nine-ten week paid engineering internship. Costs associated with travel to and from Milwaukee, lodging there and the subsequent internship will be covered by the Scholar's host company. The CCEFP will cover instructional costs.
The Selection Process
The CCEFP is responsible for coordinating the Fluid Power Scholars Program, recruiting outstanding undergraduates for the application pool and identifying host companies. Host companies are also invited to participate in the recruitment process. Applicants will come from the CCEFP's seven universities (University of Minnesota, Georgia Tech, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Purdue University, Vanderbilt University, Milwalukee School of Engineering, and North Carolina A & T University) as well as from other leading engineering universities across the country. In early March, a selection committee consisting of CCEFP faculty and industry representatives will review the applications and select the scholars. The selection committee will maintain the highest of criteria when evaluating applicants, with further careful consideration given to matching company hosts and students. The selection and matching process will be completed in time so that scholar award announcements can be made on or near March 15.
Student Application Process
The Fluid Power Scholar Program is open to students enrolled in an accredited engineering degree program in the United States who are at least two years into their engineering studies and who are legally authorized to work in the United States. Students should expect to spend 10-11 weeks as a participant in this program. The 2010 Fluid Power short course at MSOE will be held June 1-3.
The application deadline has now passed. Be prepared to submit an on-line application, a resume, a statement of purpose, and an unofficial transcript from your home institution. In addition, make sure to send two letters of reference by March 10 to Ms. Alyssa A. Burger by either e-mail or by regular mail at:
Alyssa A. Burger
Education Outreach Director
Engineering Research Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power
University of Minnesota
111 Church Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Download the informational flyer (PDF).